Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

The Supreme Controller

It is natural that a philosophical mind wants to know about the origin of the creation. At night he sees the stars in the sky, and he naturally speculates about their inhabitants. Such inquiries are natural for man because man has a developed consciousness which is higher than that of the animals. The author of Srimad-Bhagavatam (Vyasadeva) gives a direct answer to such inquiries. He says that the Lord Sri Krishna is the origin of all creations. He is not only the creator of the universe, but the destroyer as well. The manifested cosmic nature is created at a certain period by the will of the Lord. It is maintained for some time, and then it is annihilated by His will. Therefore, the supreme will is behind all cosmic activities. Of course, there are atheists of various categories who do not believe in a creator, but that is due to a poor fund of knowledge. The modern scientist, for example, has created space satellites, and by some arrangement or other, these satellites are thrown into outer space to fly for some time at the control of the scientist who is far away. Similarly, all the universes with innumerable stars and planets are controlled by the intelligence of the Personality of Godhead. 

In Vedic literatures, it is said that the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, is the chief amongst all living personalities. All living beings, beginning from the first created being, Brahma, down to the smallest ant, are individual living beings. And above Brahma, there are even other living beings with individual capacities, and the Personality of Godhead is also a similar living being. And He is an individual as are the other living beings. But the Supreme Lord, or the supreme living being, has the greatest intelligence, and He possesses supermost inconceivable energies of all different varieties. If a man's brain can produce a space satellite, one can very easily imagine how brains higher than man can produce similarly wonderful things which are far superior. The reasonable person will easily accept this argument, but there are stubborn atheists who would never agree. 

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Yoga and the Master of Yoga

Yoga means the connecting link between the soul and the Supersoul, or the Supreme and the minute living creatures. Lord Sri Krishna is that Supreme, the Personality of Godhead. Being, therefore, the ultimate object of yoga, Krishna's name is yogeshvara, the master of yoga.

When the yoga performance is described, it is said that Krishna's name is yogeshvara. No one can be a better yogi than the master of yoga, and Krishna is the master. There are many different types of yoga. Yoga means the system, and yogi means the person who practices that system. The object of yoga, the ultimate goal, is to understand Krishna. Therefore, Krishna consciousness means to practice the topmost type of yoga.

This topmost yoga system was described by Krishna in the Gita to His most intimate friend, Arjuna. In the beginning, the Lord said that this system can be practiced only by a person who has developed attachment for it. This Krishna conscious yoga system cannot be practiced by an ordinary man who has no attachment for Krishna, for it is a different system, and the topmost—bhakti-yoga.

There are five types of direct attachment, and there are seven types of indirect attachment. Indirect attachment is not bhakti. Direct attachment is called bhakti. If you are attached to Krishna by the direct method, it is called devotional service, and if you are attached to Krishna by an indirect method, it is not devotional service. But that is also attachment. King Kamsa, for example, was the maternal uncle of Krishna; and there was a warning that Kamsa would be killed by one of his sister's sons. So he became very anxious about the sons of his sister, and he decided to kill his sister. Devaki, Krishna's mother, was saved by her husband, Vasudeva, who made a compromise and proposed to his brother-in-law as follows: "You are afraid of the son of your sister. So your sister herself is not going to kill you." He requested, "Don't kill your sister. Save her, and I promise that all the sons born of her will be brought to you, and if you like you can kill them."

Vasudeva did this in order that his poor wife might be saved. And Vasudeva thought, "When Devaki's son is born, Kamsa may have a change of heart." But Kamsa was such a great demon that he killed all the sons of Devaki. It was told that the eighth son of the sister would kill him. So, when Krishna was in the womb of His mother, Kamsa was always thinking of Krishna. You may say that he was not Krishna conscious, but actually he was. Not directly, not for love's sake, but as an enemy. He was Krishna conscious as an enemy. So, that is not devotional service. One in devotional service is Krishna conscious as Krishna's friend, Krishna's servant, His parent, or His lover.

You may want Krishna as your lover, or as your son; you may want Krishna as your friend, you may want Krishna as your master, you may want Krishna as the Supreme Sublime. These five different kinds of direct relationships with Krishna are called devotion, or bhakti. They entail no material profit.

Ref. Krishna Consciousness The Topmost Yoga System authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)

The Transmigration of Soul

The transmigration of soul is the most important factor to be understood by the human society. Unfortunately there is no university, there is no department of knowledge, to understand this. Click on the link below to watch a video by Srila Prabhupada (Founder- Acharya of ISKCON)

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Don’t go there

"Don't go there" is an expression that essentially means you know that if you continue on a certain path or thinking in a certain way, arguing, and inquiring, discussing – behaving, or whatever – it's going to lead to a predictable, negative result, guaranteed. So, very simply, don't do it! Stop. Don't continue.

For example, you might be asking someone at work a series of personal questions and notice that he is increasingly defensive and angry. If there is no actual reason you need the answers to your questions, this might qualify for the "don't go there" wisdom. To continue with your questions virtually guarantees that you will create problems for yourself now or down the road. You'll have a new enemy, or at least someone who is mad at you. Why continue? The same idea applies to so many interpersonal issues. Often, we know deep down what's going to happen if we say certain things to certain people. Sometimes it's best to just "not go there."

Suppose you're feeling sorry for yourself and completely overwhelmed. You're thinking about quitting your job and about how horrible your life has become. Here, the "don't go there" expression would mean "stop thinking along these lines." To continue, only guarantees that you're going to feel even worse. What's the point? Wouldn't it be wiser to wait until later, when you feel better, to analyze your life? Why go on when you know the result is going to be pain?

So often, going down a negative path leads to a series of stressful and destructive actions. If you can nip the problem in the bud early by using these simple words, you can prevent a great deal of stress.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Teachings of Lord Chaitanya - Ebook

Hare Krishna

Hope you are doing great! This month we have got this very special E-Book – "Teachings of Lord Chaitanya" for you which you can download right away.

There is no difference between the teachings of Lord Chaitanya and the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. The teachings of Lord Chaitanya are practical demonstrations of Lord Krishna's teachings. Lord Chaitanya teaches the science of Krishna consciousness.

Lord Chaitanya is the ideal teacher of life's prime necessities. He is the most munificent bestower of love of Krishna. He is the complete reservoir of all mercies and good fortune. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata and the Upanishads, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna Himself, and He is worshipable by everyone in this age of disagreement. Everyone can join in His sankirtana movement. No previous qualification is necessary. just by following His teachings, anyone can become a perfect human being.

In other words, those who are interested in attaining spiritual existence can be easily relieved from the clutches of maya by the grace of Lord Chaitanya. These teachings presented in this book are nondifferent from the Lord.

Please find the E-book as an attachment with this mail.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

The Real Peace Formula

The great mistake of modern civilization is to encroach upon others' property as though it were one's own and thereby create an unnecessary disturbance of the laws of nature. These laws are very strong. No living entity can violate them. Only one who is Krishna conscious can easily overcome the stringent laws of nature and thus become happy and peaceful in the world.

As a state is protected by the department of law and order, so the state of the universe, of which this earth is only an insignificant fragment, is protected by the laws of nature. This material nature is one of the different potencies of God, who is the ultimate proprietor of everything that be. This earth is, therefore, the property of God, but we, the living entities, especially the so-called civilized human beings, are claiming God's property as our own under both an individual and collective false conception. If you want peace, you have to remove this false conception from your mind and from the world. This false claim of proprietorship by the human race on earth is partly or wholly the cause of all disturbances of peace on earth.

Foolish so-called civilized men are claiming proprietary rights on the property of God because they have now become godless. You cannot be happy and peaceful in a godless society. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna says that He is the factual enjoyer of all activities of the living entities, that He is the Supreme Lord of all universes, and that He is the well-wishing friend of all beings. When the people of the world know this as the formula for peace, it is then and there that peace will prevail.

Therefore, if you want peace at all, you will have to change your consciousness into Krishna consciousness, both individually and collectively, by the simple process of chanting the holy name of God. This is the standard and recognized process for achieving peace in the world. We therefore recommend that everyone become Krishna conscious by chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Ref: Science of Self Realization authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)     

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Eliminate worry from your life!

There are many reasons to eliminate worry from your life. First and foremost, it's highly stressful. Think about how you feel when you're worried. It's all-consuming and energy draining. It encourages you to focus on problems and on how difficult your life has become. 

When you worry, you are on edge and tense. Therefore you tend to be easily bothered or irrationally upset.

When you worry, it's more difficult to concentrate and focus your efforts. Rather than being completely absorbed in your work, your mind tends to wander toward an uncertain future or a mistake – ridden past. You anticipate trouble, whether it's realistic or not – and you review past mistakes as way to justify your concerns.

Worry is also contagious. When you worry, it either suggests or reinforces the idea (to others) that there is something legitimate to worry about. It spreads a negative message and a feeling of fear. 

Try to eliminate worry from your life!

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

God is great

Many people claim, "God is great," but this is a hackneyed phrase. One must know how He is great, and that can be known from authorized scripture. In the Bhagavad-gita God describes Himself. He says, "My appearance of taking birth just like an ordinary human being is actually transcendental." God is so kind that He comes before us as an ordinary human being, but His body is not exactly like a human body. 

It is stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.11):"Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be." 

We have a chance to know about Krishna provided we read the right literature under the right direction, and if we simply know what the nature of God is, then by understanding this one fact alone we become liberated. It is not possible in our human condition to understand the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead completely, but with the help of Bhagavad-gita, the statements given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and of the spiritual master, we can know Him to the best of our capacity. If we can know Him in reality, then immediately after leaving this body we can enter into the kingdom of God. Krishna says, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna: "After leaving this body, one who is in knowledge does not come again to this material world, for he enters into the spiritual world and comes to Me." (Bg. 4.9)

The purpose of our Krishna consciousness movement is to propagate this advanced scientific idea to people in general, and the process is very simple. Simply by chanting the holy names of God—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—one cleanses the dirt from his heart and gains understanding that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and that it is his duty to serve Him. This process is very pleasant: we chant the Hare Krishna mantra, we dance rhythmically, and we eat nice prasada. While enjoying this life, we are preparing to enter into the kingdom of God in our next life. This is not a fabrication—it is all factual. Although to a layman this appears to be a fabrication, Krishna reveals Himself from within to one who is serious about God realization.

Ref: Easy Journey to other planets authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON) 

Sri Narasimha Pranama

Relationships are hard to handle and might even seem impossible at times

There will be many fights and many quarrels, many disagreements and many tears.....

The easiest thing would be to give up.

But if we instead spend half the energy we use in fighting with each other, to keep the relationship strong, then that is love……

Remember, in a relationship, giving up is not the solution. Disagreements, fights and quarrels will always be there.

But you must always fight harder to stay together.

Some fights are truly worth fighting!

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

The Real Source of Energy

Matter itself has no creative power. When it is manipulated by the living energy, material things are produced. Matter in its crude form is therefore the latent energy of the Supreme Being. Whenever we think of energy, it is natural that we think of the source of energy. For example, when we think of electrical energy, we simultaneously think of the powerhouse where it is generated. Energy is not self-sufficient. It is under the control of a superior living being. For example, fire is the source of two other energies, namely light and heat. Light and heat have no independent existence outside of fire. Similarly, the inferior and superior energies are derived from a source, which one may call by any name. That source of energy must be a living being with full sense of everything. That supreme living being is the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, or the all-attractive living being. 

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

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Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Perfect Knowledge from the Perfect Source

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

The Sound Representation of the Supreme Lord

Our present senses are all made of material elements, and therefore they are imperfect in realizing the transcendental form of The Lord. He is therefore worshiped by sound representation via the transcendental method of chanting. Anything which is beyond the scope of experience by our imperfect senses can be realized fully by the sound representation. A person transmitting sound from a far distant place can be factually experienced. If this is materially possible, why not spiritually? This experience is not a vague impersonal experience. It is actually an experience of the transcendental Personality of Godhead, who possesses the pure form of eternity, bliss and knowledge.

Click on the link below to listen to a lecture by Srila Prabhupada (Founder- Acharya of ISKCON), and get to know the wonderful potency of the Holy name of the Lord!

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

The Power Of Krishna's Name

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Important to remember

(1)  Never think or speak negatively about yourself.

(2)  Meditate on your God-given strengths and learn to encourage yourself, for much of the time nobody else will.

(3)  Don't compare yourself to anybody else.  So don't settle for being a copy.

(4)  Focus on your potential, not on your limitations. 

(5)  Have the courage to be different.  Be a God pleaser, not a people pleaser.

(6)  Learn to handle criticism.  Let it develop you instead of discourage you.

(7)  Keep your shortcomings in perspective - you're still a work in progress.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead - Ebook

Hare Krishna

Hope you are doing great! This month we have got this very special E-Book – "Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead" for you which you can download right away.

The Krishna consciousness movement is the unique gift of Lord Chaitanya to the fallen souls of this age and there is no doubt that this movement can satisfy the dormant loving propensities of humanity. 

It is said in the Bhagavad-gita that even a little effort expended on the path of Krishna consciousness can save one from the greatest danger. Hundreds of thousands of examples can be cited of people who have escaped the greatest dangers of life due to a slight advancement in Krishna consciousness. We therefore request everyone to take advantage of this great transcendental literary work. One will find that by reading one page after another, an immense treasure of knowledge in art, science, literature, philosophy and religion will be revealed, and ultimately, by reading this one book, Krishna, love of Godhead will fructify.

Everyone should be interested in knowing about Krishna, and this book is presented with this purpose: that people may know about Krishna and be perfectly benefited in this human form of life.

Please click here to download a copy of the E-book

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Easy Vs Difficult

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others   
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes

Easy is to talk without thinking   
Difficult is to refrain the tongue

Easy is to hurt someone
Difficult is to heal the wound...

Easy is to forgive others   
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness

Easy is to set rules   
Difficult is to follow them...

Easy is to show victory
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...

Easy is to promise something to someone   
Difficult is to fulfill that promise...

Easy is to criticize others   
Difficult is to improve oneself...

Easy is to make mistakes   
Difficult is to learn from them...

Easy is to think about improving   
Difficult is to stop thinking about it and put it into action...

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Pastime Places of Lord Ramachandra

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Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Ask for what you want, but don’t insist on getting it

When you're willing to ask for what you want but don't insist on getting it, there are some potential hidden benefits as well. For example, you sometimes bring out the compassion and generosity in others. Several years ago I arrived in Mumbai very late one evening. Despite having a confirmed reservation, the hotel was overbooked and was turning people away. The man in front of me was enraged and became very threatening. 

He insisted on getting his way – but there were no rooms. He stormed out, defeated and angry. He was totally insensitive to the fact that it wasn't the receptionist's fault. It wasn't personal.

I walked up to the receptionist and in a gentle voice I said, "I understand your predicament and don't blame you a bit. I would appreciate it so much if you would help me. I know you don't have any rooms here, but could you help me find another hotel, close by?" I thought it was wise to ask – as long as I didn't insist. 

She was very nice and apologetic. Remarkably, she said she had some great news. She had completely overlooked that fact that one of the guests had to leave in an emergency and wouldn't be back. It turned out to be the largest and most expensive suite in the hotel! Because I had been so patient, she gave it to me at lower rate.

    

The question is, why didn't she remember this empty room and give it to the angry man in front of me? I think the answer is pretty obvious. His insistence pushed her away and may have even contributed to her "forgetfulness." When I was talking to her, however, she relaxed and felt less pressure. Her memory returned and I ended up getting a few hours of much-needed sleep. So be sure to ask for what you want, but don't insist on getting it.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

From the dark age to the dark hour

The scientific community is given credit for bringing the civilization to the modern technological advanced age, conveniently labeling the history as dark ages. There was a rapid development in scientific community in terms of discoveries and inventions which led to Industrial Revolution. This revolution changed the face of the earth as we see it.

This advent of revolution was manifested in the form of consumerism. The factories came up, where thousands of men labored hard to earn their livelihood. These workers, were the farmers who had migrated from the villages. They dream of staying in a city, becoming independent and earning a livelihood by working hard in factories rather than the farms. Due to the desire fostered by the new born culture of greed where in everyone wanted to have more of everything for which they had to struggle and suffer even more in bad living conditions, smoke, grit and equally oppressive industrialists as the feudal lords in the villages. Even though the struggle was there, but the thought of staying in city and ability to consume the products of city made them artificially feel happy. It was something similar to what a thirsty desert animal feels on seeing the reflection of a mirage, which it misunderstands to be real water and gratifies itself thinking that water is nearby when it's not.

The industrial revolution brought forward the steam engines, whose descendants now we see running with great ease on the metro overhead. Consumer electronics in its crude form took birth in the lap of burning furnaces in the factories. The "Bright Age" had come with the invention and subsequent mass production of bulb. The bulbs evolved to tube lights, neon lights and flood lights which adorn our stadiums. In this glitter of man made lights, the sun got clouded with the smoke that arose from factories. One of the crucial ingredients which contributed to the happenings was extraction of fuel. Petroleum and coal kept the furnaces burning, the production lines moving and the chimneys spewing smoke. The very smoke which filled the lungs of the workers causing them innumerable diseases. We even have a fancy word for the phenomena these days. Its called Occupational hazard.

This went on for 3 centuries in some parts of the world and for decades in some. It was a second coming for human civilization. And finally it reached the zenith of advancement when the soldiers of captain planet proposed to observe an hour of darkness to nullify the effect of centuries and decades of misuse of nature's resources. In order to save the planet and give it to the future generation as it is, it was proposed by the do-gooders to switch off all lights in the house and enjoy a candle lit dinner with loved ones.

Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as World Wildlife Fund) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. Earth Hour was conceived by WWF and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights.

So much hard labor to usher the world into light from dark age to finally being inspired to celebrate the success with an hour of darkness. It is very expertly explained in Srimad Bhagavatam as "…srama eva hi kevalam…." That the occupational duties which man performs to satisfy his selfish whims are just a useless labor. The gratification which is temporary, but requires ages of hard work is rightly labeled as useless labor.

The vedanta sutra aphorism, "tamaso ma jyoir gamaya" advises us to approach light, leaving darkness behind. But in current situation we are being forced back to darkness. That means there is a flaw in our approach to spread light. In the hedonistic approach towards life we have forgotten to pay heed to our spiritual values and morals which have only deteriorated our situation. The very change we thought would advance us has darkened our life and filled it with smoke and pollution. The Vedic approach to solve such problems is perfect. This is due to the fact that Vedas are words Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The all perfect Lord Krishna has said in his all perfect conversation of Gita that:

kama esha krodha esha

rajo-guna-samudbhavah

mahashano maha-papma

viddhy enam iha vairinam

"It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world. (BG 3.37)"

When a living entity comes in contact with the material creation, his eternal love for God is transformed into lust, in association with the mode of passion. Or, in other words, the sense of love of God becomes transformed into lust, as milk in contact with sour tamarind is transformed into yogurt. Then again, when lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath; wrath is transformed into illusion, and illusion continues the material existence. Therefore, lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity.

The greed therefore to lord it over Lord's energy without acknowledging his pervasiveness and control has caused great problems. There is never harm in running motors or factories but the objective for doing such an endeavor has to be shifted from our selfish personal desires to the pleasure or love of Krishna. It is common sense that using a thing belonging to other without his permission in a clandestine way is an act of thievery. Whatever we see is nothing but energy of lord in different transformations. The proper way is to use it in his service by being grateful for his wonderful gifts by chanting Hare Krishna maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This mantra cleanses the heart of unnecessary propensities like greed, lust and anger. When the heart is cleansed its motivations become pure, as love for the lord as well as his energies awaken. In ISKCON, We use the best of the facility. We use best of the facilities but in the service of Krishna and accepting in return his gifts for a needful Krishna Conscious life. This process of chanting Hare Krishna is potent enough to keep us in light. It's said: "Wherever there is Krishna, there is no jurisdiction of darkness." This light is the illumination of bliss through self enlightenment which is potent to eradicate any darkness in our life. Kindly try it and get in touch with us if it works for you.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Decoration of the dead body

In India, the lower class men, during their life, will dress very wretchedly and not spend money. But when some of their relatives die, they will purchase some velvet and cover the body and very nicely decorate, and with band party they'll take, lead the dead body. They make lips of the dead body very smiling. The body is taken in procession. So it may be very much pleasing to the relatives that the dead body's decorated. So shastra says that what is the meaning of this decoration? What benefit the man who is dead, is getting? The sons of that dead body may see him, that "Oh, my father is smiling," but actually is that man smiling? He does not know where his father has already gone. So long the life is there, if you decorate the body everyone will appreciate. But if you decorate the dead body, people will say "What a fool he is!" Similarly, without spiritual knowledge, this dead civilization; simply on the bodily concept of life, it is ludicrous. They are trying to invent so many nice things, scientifically, mechanically. Activities are very methodical. Everything is all right. But if it is not Krishna consciousness, then what is the meaning? You may please some of the people, "Oh, how you are decorating a dead body." But it has no meaning. It is useless waste of time. Therefore young men, young girls, they have become frustrated, in spite of all this nice arrangement. There is no life. So life is Krishna consciousness. So if you actually feel for your country, for your community, for your people, just spread this Krishna consciousness. They're dying. You spread this Krishna consciousness. They'll come again to life, and everything will be actually beautiful.

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Forgive yourself, you are a human

"To err is human, to forgive divine." You might as well insert the word "yourself" into this all-so-true observation about being human. 

Let's face it. We are human, and to be human means you're going to make errors, at least some of the time. You're going to make plenty of mistakes, mess up from time to time, lose your way, forget things, lose your temper, say things you shouldn't have, and all the rest. 

I've never understood why this simple fact of life – our tendency to make mistakes – is so surprising or disappointing to people. 

To me, one of the saddest mistakes we make is a lack of forgiveness, especially to ourselves. We constantly remind ourselves of our flaws and previous mistakes. We anticipate future mistakes. We're highly critical of ourselves, frequently disappointed, and ruthless in our self-judgment. We blame ourselves, and often we're our own worst enemy.

It seems to me that to be unforgiving of yourself is foolish and ridiculous. Most of us are doing the best that we can – really. But we're not perfect. The truth is, we're a work-in-progress. 

We should learn from our mistakes and from stumbling and keep moving ahead in life. 

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Do not get caught up in the imagined horrors of the future

Some planning, anticipating, and looking forward to future events and accomplishments are an important and necessary part of success. You need to know where you'd like to go in order to get there. 

However, most of us take this planning far too seriously and engage in futuristic thinking far too often. We sacrifice the actual moments of life in exchange for moments that exist only in our imaginations. An imagined future may or may not come true.

The solution for all of us is identical. Whether you're dreading tomorrow's meeting, or next week's deadline, the trick is to observe your own thoughts caught up in the negative expectations and imagined horrors of the future. 

Once you make the connection between your own thoughts and your stressful feelings, you'll be able to step back and recognize that if you can rein in your thoughts, bringing them back to what you are actually doing – right now – you'll have far more control over your stress level. 

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Transcendental Pastimes of Lord Chaitanya

In the name of happiness

So according to the mischievous activities, there are different kinds of suffering and there are different kinds of species of life. But the spell of maya is so strong that one cannot understand that he is suffering. We understand that we are trying to be happy. Actually, this material world, there is no happiness, but to counteract the agency of distress, we accept, "That is happiness." Just like I have no apartment, but to counteract this inconvenience, if I try my utmost to get a good apartment I feel, "Oh, now I am happy. I am happy." What is this happiness? How long you shall remain in this apartment? So here happiness means to counteract the force of distress. Actually there is no happiness. Just like I am in distressed condition, puzzled, I take some intoxication. This is called happiness. I remain in the same condition. After my intoxication is over, I come back again into the same condition, but I am thinking I am happy. Here, pleasure means a little absence of pain. Just like you have got a boil here. So it is always painful. And by some medical application, when the pain is little relieved, you think that "Now it is happiness." But the boil is there. How you can be happy? So here, actually there is no happiness, but we think we have discovered so many counteraction. Just like there is disease. We have discovered medicine. But that does not mean you'll live. No, you'll have to die, sir. So the boil is there. This is your real problem. Therefore there is no happiness at all in this material world. But actually, real life, real pleasure, eternal pleasure is there in the spiritual world, not in this material world.

Ref: Bhagavad-gita 2.25 authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

The Most Munificent Incarnation

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar

Srila Prabhupada Nectar